On Oct. 16, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issuedÌýan extension of the comment period for itsÌýWorker Walkaround Representative Designation Process proposed rule, which would allow an employee to choose a third-party representative, such as an outside union representative, to accompany an OSHA inspector into nonunion facilities. OSHA extended the comment period from Oct. 30 to Nov. 13. On Sept. 21, ABC, as a steering committee member of the Coalition for Workplace Safety,ÌýwroteÌýto OSHA requesting a 60-day extension. ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓwill submit comments in opposition to the rule and ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓmembers are also encouraged to submit comments onÌýregulations.gov.

The Partnership to Protect Workplace Opportunity, of which ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓis a steering committee member, created a grassroots toolkit for members to respond to the U.S. Department of Labor’s new overtime proposed rule. The grassroots portal allows you to send model comments directly to the DOL as well as a model letter to your senators and representative in Congress opposing the new proposed rule. The deadline to submit comments is no later than Nov. 7.

ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓcongratulates the following members for successfully earning the Accredited Quality Contractor credential for the first time: Complete Mechanical Services of Cincinnati, a member of ABC’s Ohio Valley chapter; GovSolutions Inc. | Falkbuilt Greater Hampton Roads of Virginia Beach, Virginia, a member of ABC’s Virginia Chapter; and T.W. Frierson Contractor Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee, a member of ABC’s Greater Tennessee chapter.

ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓhas now launched the CHIPS Act—Resources and Guidance for Contractors webpage to assist contractors in competing for projects utilizing the nearly $50 billion in direct federal funding and additional tax credits in support of restoring U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and improving the semiconductor supply chain.

On Sept. 26, ABC, as a steering committee member of the Coalition for Workplace Safety, and 40 other employer organizations sent aÌýletterÌýto the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections calling out the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration for its Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process proposed rulemaking and the politicization of the agency that the rulemaking exemplifies. The proposed rule would allow an employee to choose a third-party representative, such as an outside union representative, to accompany an OSHA inspector into nonunion facilities.

ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓhasÌýprepared a summary of Biden administration regulatory actions of interest to ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓmembers by agency.

On Sept. 29, ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓsubmitted comments with a coalition of industry stakeholders to the Council on Environmental Quality in response to a proposed rule regarding Phase 2 of revisions to the National Environmental Policy Act implementing regulations. The proposal would make wide-ranging changes that will add unnecessarily burdensome and costly provisions to the federal environmental review and permitting process.

Without a deal to pass a stop-gap funding measure by Oct. 1, President Joe Biden will face the first federal government shutdown of his administration. ÀÏÅ£Ó°ÊÓhas put together a series of helpful documents to guide federal contractors through a shutdown and the suspension of federal construction operations.

Associated Builders and Contractors would like to congratulate Graham Roofing Inc. of West Point, Mississippi, a member of ABC's Mississippi Chapter, for successfully earning the Accredited Quality Contractor credential. The AQC program recognizes and honors construction firms that document their commitment to excellence in key areas of corporate responsibility: quality, safety, craft and management education, talent management and community relations. A company that meets the criteria set forth in the program and has earned STEP Gold, Platinum or Diamond status in ABC’s safety management system is formally designated an Accredited Quality Contractor.

On Sept. 25, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a new initiative, the Respirable Crystalline Silica Focused Inspection Initiative in the Engineered Stone Fabrication and Installation Industries. The initiative supplements OSHA’s current National Emphasis Program for Respirable Crystalline Silica and prioritizes federal OSHA inspections in workplaces where workers are typically exposed to high levels of silica, Cut Stone and Stone Product Manufacturing (NAICS Code 327991) and Brick, Stone and Related Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers (NAICS Code 423320).